Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume XIII, Western Europe and Canada

413. Circular Telegram From the Department of State to Missions in the NATO Capitals⁰

Washington, February 25, 1963, 5:01 p.m.

1479. In view Washington press stories reporting disagreement between US and UK in Nassau follow-up talks which ended Saturday,¹ and in view numerous separate inquiries from various NATO Embassies re outcome these talks, US and UK gave joint official-level briefing to reps all NATO Embassies except Iceland, Portugal, Belgium and Luxembourg. Following points were stressed:

1. US-UK talks were for purpose discussing respective views on para 6 forces and US-UK Polaris Sales Agreement.² They did not get into MLF (para 7) questions, which is to be matter for US presentation in Council February 27. Matters discussed involved those of mainly bilateral concern, including what initial forces would be assigned to NNF by US and UK and various approaches to question of terms of assignment.

2. Contrary to press reports, meetings did not end in disagreement. In fact there was general identity of views although meetings were ad referendum. US and UK Governments each still considering questions involved and it premature to say what instructions will be issued to respective PermReps.

3. US-UK meetings were preliminary to discussion in NAC, since establishment of NNF not a matter for decision by two governments but for Alliance as a whole. Since US and UK were “joint authors” of Nassau, it considered desirable (as suggested by Stikker) that they should give interpretation re what they had in mind in reaching Nassau Agreement. No joint presentation as such would be made to NAC re “results” of US-UK talks since only result would be coordinated instructions to respective PermReps for Council discussion, which in effect began last week with decision re inventory tactical forces.

4. US and UK briefers refused be drawn into discussion details both because these still ad referendum and because proper locus such discussion is NAC.

Rusk

0. Source: Department of State, Central Files, Pol UK-US. Confidential. Drafted by Spiers and approved by Popper.
1. Detailed memoranda of the conversations on February 18, 19, and 21, which were chaired by Tyler, are ibid.
2. Reference is to paragraph 6 of the Nassau communiqué; a copy of the draft sales agreement is ibid., Conference Files: Lot 66 D110, CF 2219. For text of the final Polaris Sales Agreement as signed at Washington, April 6, see 14 UST 321.